Phillip Phillips looks at life beyond “American Idol”

Phillips, 22, spoke to Reuters about making his first proper studio album, what he might do differently on a second one, and whether he could have won “Idol” with this season’s panel of judges.

Q: How do you plan to transition from “American Idol” winner to a mainstream music career?

Phillip: “It’s pretty funny that you mention that because the majority of the people I meet don’t even know that I was on ‘Idol.’ It’s really cool to hear that. When I go home, people ask, ‘What’ve you been doing? I’ve heard your song,’ but they don’t even know that I’ve been on ‘Idol.'”

Your first single “Home” has gone twice platinum. You’ve said that it isn’t a song you would have written yourself. What’s your relationship now with your first hit?

“It’s amazing how well it has done, and I look at all the stories that I hear like how it has helped families out with their situation, or something’s happened with their kid, mom or dad, or if their child’s overseas in the war. Something like that’s pretty amazing how many different stories come out of it.”

Did you have any ideas on how you wanted to develop your sound finally getting into a big-time studio?

“I already had the songs written, and it was just a matter of throwing in ideas and then just trimming it down to what felt right, because we only had three weeks to do this album. So it was kind of pressured, but that kind of helped out as well. It didn’t make us overthink anything.”

Was there anything in particular you wanted to achieve?

“I wanted to make it similar to what I did on the show – a horn section and some rock. I tried to be a little artistic. I just wrote what came from my heart and what felt right.”

Unlike many of the other contestants, you went into “Idol” as a songwriter, how many of the album’s songs did you write?

“I think five. Some of the co-writes, (the writers) really just kind of pushed me, so I kind of wrote most of those myself. But it was a lot of fun; it was a great experience.”

Would you do anything differently next time?

“It’s still early, but I’d definitely want a little more time to do it. But that’s really about it, because three weeks is just really quick, and also I have just so many other things going on. … It was very kind of stressful and hopefully for the next record I’ll have a little more time.”

What would that time allow you to do in the studio?

“Just being able to listen to it a little more. We all knew that it sounded really good but also having to listen to, like 17 songs in a row. You say, ‘Yeah that sounds great’ but you listen to it more and more and (say) ‘Maybe I would’ve brought this instrument down a little bit or brought it up a little bit more.'”

Would you have fared any differently on ‘Idol’ with the current judges Nicky Minaj and Mariah Carey?

“I don’t know. I’m curious to see how they’re going to judge. It’s a completely different panel this year. … I don’t really know how I would’ve turned out. Maybe I’ll have to go out and audition again (laughs).”

Would you have had to change your roots-y style?

“Naw, I would’ve still been the same dude. If they wouldn’t have sent me through, they wouldn’t have sent me through. And if they did, that’d be awesome.”

(Reporting By Eric Kelsey, editing by Jill Serjeant and Gunna Dickson)
Source: Reuters 

REVIEW: Phillip Phillips – ‘The World From the Side of the Moon’

Here’s a great review of The World From the Side of the Moon written by Cameron Black from the SoCalMusicToday, worth the Read!

Phillip Phillips,  is set to release his debut album, The World From the Side of the Moonon November 19th. Phillips combines his impressive vocal presence with an array of backup instrumentation to arrange some fantastic songs full of great music and poignant messages.

“Man on the Moon” catches your attention immediately with a twangy southern guitar. Overall, the song features Phillips’s vocal range, and really accents the rugged tone that he sings with. Featuring a banjo, violin, and saxophone solo, the song has a classic country feel to it. I would really like to hear this song played live.

“Home” starts with some upbeat guitar picking and features some great harmonies to back up Phillips’s powerful voice. The song has a really positive message, “know you’re not alone, I’m gonna make this place your home.” I’m really happy to see bands today performing songs with messages of hope and comradery. The simplistic nature of this song, featuring drums, strumming guitar, and an impressive backup vocal section, will make this song undoubtedly successful to today’s happy soul.

“Gone, Gone, Gone” is a very sentimental song both vocally and in its musical arrangement. Phillips demonstrates his ability to evoke certain emotions in his listener by having this song build on itself with intense dynamics, a wide array of backup instrumentation, and a moving chorus featuring a brass section and spirituous backup vocals. I’m really impressed at the number of parts that were written into this song.

“Hold On” is another passionate song featuring dramatic rhythm changes and Phillips’s dynamic singing range. This song has a great groove to it, and is driven by a constant, simple kick drum. The contrast between the verses and chorus are what stand out in “Hold On”. It’s refreshing to hear so many instrumental breakdowns and featured non-vocal parts in these songs because it indicates that not only is Phillip Phillips a talented singer, but he is a passionate musician, as well.

“Tell Me A Story” has a very Mumford & Sons feel to it in regards the timing and where Phillips sits in his vocals. The chorus accentuates his vocal range and sends him from a low, soothing tone to a higher, passionate tone. “Tell Me A Story” is a song you can get lost in.  It’s full of space, and while the song has a lot of parts to it, they all complement each other and fit together to provide a very reflective ambiance.

“Where We Came From” changes up the mood of the album. The song is full of a certain attitude from the start, with blues accents from the strings and guitar to give “Where We Came From” a distinct flavor. The chorus is surprisingly different from the verse, and changes the attitude set up in the beginning. While this song is catchy and the verse and chorus are well written, respectively, I felt the two juxtaposed into one song was a bit too much of a change for me.

“Drive Me” opens with a very rock attitude. Phillips is heavily present in the song with a husky sound to his voice and well-timed accents and spacing in his delivery. There is a battered tone to his voice that gives him a sound reminiscent of Dave Matthew’s Band, especially when there is a great sax solo and a full vocal & horn section to back it up, as is present in “Drive Me”.

“Wanted Is Love” has a laid back feel to it, but it is a song full of passion. The song transitions from verse to chorus very dramatically, and the lyrics reflect the sentiment made by the music. I really enjoyed the emotions this song was able to convey both lyrically and instrumentally.

“Can’t Go Wrong” would definitely go on my next “Road Trip songs” mix. The song is fun and emanates a very happy feeling. Lyrically, “Can’t Go Wrong” reflects on the great feeling of being alive, “I can’t go wrong, as long as I remember where I’m from”. Stylistically, the verse has a low key, but powerful drive to it, and the chorus is in your face, but in the best way possible (and will have you singing along with it by the end).

“A Fool’s Dance” emphasizes something unique about Phillip Phillip’s sound. He uses his voice as a real instrument, delivering lyrics with varied rhythms and tones to match the style of the music. The song has a very dramatic feel to it, but it is also very light, presenting a precise and fragile “dance” that we sometimes do in our lives.

“So Easy” is a low-key folk rock sounding love song with a pop-infused chorus. The song sums up the album nicely, ending with an energy charged song with an overall relaxed sound.

The World From the Side of the Moon is a fantastic debut album by any standards. Phillip Phillips will appeal to a wide variety of fans given his age, lyrical content, powerful vocal abilities, and extremely talented back up band. The album explores a Phillips’s ability to sing in different styles, and really tests his range. After listening to this album, I am extremely anxious to see what Phillip Phillips puts out in years to come.

Source: 

Phillip Phillips Reveals the Hazards of His Job!

Phillip Phillips stopped at Cambio.com to chat with them about his debut album, The World from the Side of the Moon, life after Idol…and the time a bra was thrown to him on stage (it surprised him so much he couldn’t finish the song)!

He also talked about the honor of the job.

“I didn’t expect any of that to ever happen,” Phillip says about “Home” being played during the 2012 Summer Olympics. “I just take it as an honor that they chose the song.”

Phillip’s excited for the next big step. The World from the Side of the Moon will be released on November 19.

“I think everything happened at the right time with the right people,” he says. “I’m ready for people to hear it.”

Source: Cambio.com

Phillip Phillips interview with The Hollywood Reporter

Lots of artists let themselves go while recording an album. It might mean growing out a beard, wearing your favorite jeans several days in a row or shaking off all your inhibitions as you put pen to paper and voice to track. In Phillip Phillips’ case, it’s all of the above.

“I kind of got lazy,” Phillip Phillips tells The Hollywood Reporter of his increasingly fuzzy facial hair.

“I’m probably going to shave it soon. I actually need a haircut, too, but I want to keep my hair as long as possible, because I’ll probably be bald soon.”

Hardly, but the 22-year-old Leesburg, Georgia native may bear more of himself in other ways. Namely, the songs on his debut album, The World From the Side of the Moon, nearly all of which he wrote or co-wrote. Among Phillips’ collaborators: producer Gregg Wattenberg, who’s worked extensively with Chris Daughtry and Train, “Home” songwriters Greg Holden and Drew Pearson, who teamed up for the rollicking “Can’t Go Wrong” and his girlfriend, Hannah Blackwell.

“She helped me with a song called ‘Take Me Away,’” says Phillips. “It’s not on the core album but a bonus for the Target album.” Phillips says the pining track — which includes the lines “You’re all I wanna see / All I wanna touch and feel in every way” — came from a poem Blackwell wrote about him.

As for the lyric he’s most proud of, that comes from a song called “Tell Me a Story,” which Phillips wrote with David Ryan Harris. “I had all the music written,” he says of the melodic track accentuated by a scratchy vocal, strings and a Mumford-meets-Dave Matthews vibe. “The first verse and the chorus were written, I just didn’t have a second verse. So David Ryan, who plays with John Mayer a lot, came in there, we got to know each other a bit, and I showed him what I had. He started pushing me to write more and after a couple of days, this came to me one night: ‘Hope is just a ray of what everyone should see / Alone is the street where you found me / Scared of what’s behind you / Scared of what’s in front / Live with what you have now / Make the best of what’s to come.’ “

Phillips says it’s just one of the songs he hopes “people connect with,” but there’s plenty more material to tug on the heartstrings, including “Wanted is Love,” “A Fool’s Dance” and “Man on the Moon,” all accentuated by the sounds of strings — violins, cellos, banjos and many acoustic guitars — sometimes horns (saxophone, trumpet) and Phillips’ distinctive breathy vocal style. The singer sat down with THR to talk about the forthcoming release (due out Nov. 19) and where he sees his future.

The Hollywood Reporter: First, where did the album title, The World From the Side of the Moon, come from?

Phillip Phillips: It’s a lyric from the first song on the album, “Man on the Moon.” I was going through all the lyrics because I had to make decisions at a quick pace, and it kind of stuck out to me. I asked a few friends and they liked it. People might compare it to Dark Side of the Moon, but as long as I have a different album cover of the sun with my face looking down at the Earth, it’ll be okay.

THR: What does it mean?

I was starting to think about all I had been through, and someone gave me some DVDs of the whole [Idol] season, so I was kind of watching myself from a whole different world that no one else really knows. It’s interesting to see how it happened and so fast. That’s how I picked the title: I felt like I watched myself grow and this whole album is representing where I am.

THR: Did I hear right, you recorded the whole album in three weeks?

Yes. We just finished it. From first cutting acoustic guitars to last week, it was exactly three weeks. Like I said, I was pressured on time, but it kind of helped the sound. We didn’t overanalyze things or overproduce anything, we kept it raw.

THR: And you went with one producer, Gregg Wattenberg…

Great guy — just down-to-earth, and he made me feel home. We had a really good connection, he would listen and we’d figure out. It was a great learning experience.

THR: You recorded in the heart of Manhattan, which is surprising for a Georgia boy. Did the city seep into the songs?

I loved it! Honestly, I like New York a lot better than L.A., but I had the songs already written so it was a matter of getting in there and doing it. Now when I write I might feed off that, but I haven’t written since we got done.

THR: What did you expect the recording studio experience to be like and what was it really like?

I honestly didn’t know. I would record with my brother-in-law a bit at home, but nothing professional. It was interesting. Something I didn’t expect was this guy Dave Edgar played cello on almost every song on the album so I think I’ve got to get a cello player now.

THR: What was the most challenging part?

We would get tired because we were working like 15 hours a day, or even more. Me and Greg, we’d just look at each other all worn out and sometimes he would tell me, “We’re gonna do this, it’s gonna be alright.” That was probably the toughest part. Just getting as much done as we could because we had a time limit.

THR: Greg Holden and Drew Pearson wrote “Home,” which became a huge hit for you. What was it like to work with them directly this time?

We all got in a room and I showed them an idea of the guitar part, started singing the verses and we just wrote the lyrics together. It’s called “Can’t Go Wrong,” and I really like that song. It’s similar to “Home.” We all had a good time getting to know each other. This is all new for all three of us. … They understood where I was in my situation, and I understood where they were.

THR: But just the fact that the song is as big as it is, they must be so stoked.

They are. They were telling me it’s done great things for them. But they wrote it, like, a year ago. They didn’t expect any of this to ever happen so it’s just amazing.

THR: It’s been five months since you won American Idol, is it everything you thought it would be?

It’s a great experience, but it’s tough. Watching it on television on season ten, I was like, “Yeah, I could probably do that,” once it’s the real deal and you’re actually doing it, it’s not easy. You’re working 12 to 13 hour days, recording, waiting, a lot of hurry-up-and-wait. But it really helps you with the media and perfecting your performances. The worst part is you’re on live TV, because I messed up so many times on the show. I tried to pull it off and you can sneak it by people … hopefully.

THR: Where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?

On a stage somewhere. I’m a live guy, I like playing out so hopefully I’ll just be touring out a lot. If people will want to come see me, that would be awesome.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Exclusive interview with Frederick Williams, the ‘Sax Man’

I had the pleasure of interviewing Frederick Williams, the ‘sax man’, he played with Phillip in the studio the past few days. He’s a nice guy, I hope you enjoy this interview. Check out the interview and exclusive audio/photos/videos below!

PPOnline: When did you first start playing Sax?
Fred:
 ‘First started playing when I was 12 At my dad’s church’

Who are your musical inspirations?
‘Musical Inspiration Mike Phillips’

What kind of music do you listen to today?
‘All kinds really jazz, soft rock and r&b’

Where would you most like to perform?
‘Madison Square Garden’

What hidden talents do you have?
‘Basketball and Video Games’

Do you enjoy writing music and/or lyrics?
‘Never really wrote any thing but like arranging and composing’

What is your most memorable show?
‘Me and Phillip played in Valdosta Ga at a party house lol..’

We know you have a band ‘G&S’ that Phillip performed with in the past, and recently you were in NY recording in the studio with him. Will you continue with your band G&S or will you be performing with Phillip on his new tour?
‘I started playing with G & S at Phillips Homecoming and really enjoy it but if Phillip wants me on tour Im going with him im sure they will understand’

We know you played with Phillip a few years ago, but how did it go in the studio with him the past few days?
‘Being back with Phillip and Ben felt just like old times no pressure just having fun playing music’

One thing you’d like everyone to know about you:
‘I m Glad Phillip is including me in his dream. I really thank him’

Check out Fred’ cover of ‘Home’. That’s beautiful!

Here is an exclusive version of Fred playing solo version of ‘Nice & Slow’
[mp3j track=”Frederic William – Nice and slow sax@www.pphillipsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/audios/FredericWilliam-Niceandslowsax.mp3″ flip=”y”]

Photos of Fred
   
   
   

Nice & Slow Cover Fred Williams playing with Phillip.

Phillip’s Homecoming

Lollipop

 

 

Follow Frederick on twitter: @Saxman4000
Follow G & S on twitter: @gsexperience
G & S on Facebook: gsexperience
G & S Youtube channel: http://YouTube.com/gsexperience